Assessment of Biodiversity (EO1) and Non-Indigenous Species (EO2)
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Towards a Marine Good Environmental Status (GES) in Montenegro Assessment of Biodiversity (EO1) and Non-Indigenous Species (EO2) Logos en anglais, avec versions courtes des logos ONU Environnem ent et PAM La version longue des logos ONU Environnem ent et PAM doit être utilisée dans les docum ents ou juridique Ls.a v ersio ncour te des logos est destin e tous les produit sde com m unicati otonurn s vers le public. Author: Ana Štrbenac, international marine biodiversity expert, Stenella consulting Contributors: Mirko Djurović, Dragana Drakulović, Vesna Mačić, Branka Pestorić, Slavica Petović, Darko Saveljić, Milena Bataković, Ivana Stojanović – National experts Graphic design: Old School S.P. Cover photo: Sterna hirundo (PAP/RAC) The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. This study was prepared by PAP/RAC, SPA/RAC, UNEP/MAP, and the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism of Montenegro within the GEF Adriatic Project and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Foreword The seas and coastal area are the most valuable and vital component of life on Earth. At the same time, they are under intensive pressures by human activities, with already visible negative consequences. Maintaining the coastal and marine environment in a healthy state is the main premises on which the marine environment conservation policies are built upon. The UNEP Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention), as well as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) require from their member states and parties to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) of their seas. This requirement applies to the Adriatic Sea too, as an integral part of the Mediterranean Sea. Preparation of the Towards GES assessment for Montenegro document is one of the main tasks under the project “Implementation of Ecosystem Approach in the Adriatic Sea through Marine Spatial Planning” (GEF Adriatic project), financed by GEF and implemented jointly by PAP/RAC, SPA/RAC and UNEP/MAP Coordinating unit in collaboration with relevant institution from Albania and Montenegro. The document represents the first attempt to assess GES in Montenegrin marine and coastal area, based on principles and criteria set under the Barcelona Convention and its ecosystem approach (EcAp). The purpose of the document is to shed a light on the state of biodiversity and non-indigenous species, identify setbacks and gaps, and propose remedy measures for future assessments and marine and coastal biodiversity conservation planning. It should be of particular use for the ongoing and future Montenegrin efforts to implement EcAp at national level, but also to facilitate efforts to implement MSFD. Assessment of Biodiversity (EO1) and Non-Indigenous Species (EO2) Table of contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 GES assessment policy context ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Adriatic Sea basin main features ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Marine and coastal biodiversity conservation in Montenegro ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Approach to GES assessment document preparation .................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 2 Pressures and impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity ................................................................................................................................................................ 6 2.1 Economic and social uses of marine and coastal area ................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Pressures and impacts of marine and coastal biodiversity ............................................................................................................................................................................ 9 3 Elements for GES Assessment ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Biodiversity.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 3.2 Non-indigenous species .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 23 4 Baseline: current state assessment .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 4.1 Status of biodiversity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 4.2 Status of non-indigenous species (NIS) ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 4.3 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 49 5 GES assessment gaps and needs .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 5.1 Lack of legislative framework for GES assessment ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 5.2 Institutional and financial capacities ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 50 5.3 Monitoring implementation ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 50 5.4 Transboundary cooperation ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 51 5.5 General methodological issues ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 6 GES targets and proposed measures ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 7 Connections with other Ecological Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................................... 59 8 Literature ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 60 i List of figures Figure 1.1. Steps of the EcAP roadmap. Source: Decision IG.20/4 of the Barcelona Convention COP 17 ......................................................................................................... 1 Figure 1.2. Division of the Mediterranean region. Source: Decision IG.20/4 of the Barcelona Convention COP 17 ......................................................................................... 2 Figure 1.3. Key steps on Marine Strategy development and implementation. Source: European Commission, 2020, ec.europa.eu ................................................................ 2 Figure